Challenging Religious Privilege

The National Secular Society exists to challenge religious privilege and is Britain's only organisation working exclusively towards a secular society.

The National Secular Society works for the separation of religion and state and equal respect for everyone's human rights so that no one is either advantaged or disadvantaged on account of their beliefs.

Make a stand for freedom, fairness and human rights by adding your voice to the call for a secular democracy.

As a trial reveals the brainwashing of boys during evening classes at a mosque in Barking, Stephen Evans says the Government should defy faith groups which resist the regulation of out-of-school educational settings.

Sadikur Rahman says implementing official recommendations on sharia 'courts' would entangle civil and religious law and undermine vulnerable women's rights. The Government should instead secularise the marriage laws.

The Government is preparing to extend religious selection in faith schools. Keith Sharpe contrasts its willingness to cause greater segregation with French efforts to encourage integration in the wake of terror attacks.

"The state should take no role whatsoever in promoting any particular faith in any sphere of public life. The NSS is one of the strongest and most effective groups working to raise public awareness, overcoming peoples' inertia and lack of information."

Martin, Darlington said:

Children can be segregated and discriminated against according to their parents' religion when it comes to school admissions. This worries me immensely. I am not looking forward to letting my children be taught superstition and myths as truth or separating them from their friends. The NSS is all we have to take on the might of these tax-exempt organisations given free access to our children by the state.

Nick, York said:

Baroness Warsi finally talked me into joining the Society. I am particularly concerned about faith schools. I express these views reasonably and do not see why they should be labelled 'strident' at the first opportunity.

Paul, Huddersfield said:

My motivations for joining include faith schools, bishops in the House of Lords, religious intolerance towards women and minorities, any situation where the pious are given more respect or airtime than others, and people holding discriminatory views on religious grounds remaining influential.

David, Shropshire said:

I have come to appreciate that the NSS is often a lone voice of rationality in the wilderness that is dominated by religious dogma, bigotry and political manipulation.